INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE CONTROL FOR IMPROVED FUEL EFFICIENCY
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having at least one working chamber, each working chamber being generally arranged to operate in a succession of working cycles, the method comprising:
- dynamically determining a firing pattern during operation of the engine on a firing opportunity by firing opportunity basis using feedback control to provide a desired engine output; and
firing the at least one working chamber in the firing pattern, wherein the firing pattern skips the firing of selected skipped working cycles and fires selected active working cycles.
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Abstract
A variety of methods and arrangements for improving the fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines are described. Generally, an engine is controlled to operate in a skip fire variable displacement mode. In various embodiments, the appropriate firings are determined dynamically during operation of the engine on a firing opportunity by firing opportunity basis and/or without the use of predefined firing patterns.
210 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having at least one working chamber, each working chamber being generally arranged to operate in a succession of working cycles, the method comprising:
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dynamically determining a firing pattern during operation of the engine on a firing opportunity by firing opportunity basis using feedback control to provide a desired engine output; and firing the at least one working chamber in the firing pattern, wherein the firing pattern skips the firing of selected skipped working cycles and fires selected active working cycles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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- 5. A method of controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having at least one working chamber, each working chamber being generally arranged to operate in a succession of working cycles, the method comprising operating the engine in a variable displacement mode that includes firing the at least one working chamber in a firing pattern dynamically determined during operation of the engine that skips the firing of selected skipped working cycles and fires selected active working cycles, wherein the firing pattern is dynamically determined during operation of the engine on a working cycle by working cycle basis to provide a desired engine output.
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12. An engine controller suitable for use with an internal combustion engine having at least one working chamber, each working chamber being arranged to operate in a succession of working cycles, wherein:
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the engine controller has a skip fire continuously variable displacement operational mode that directs selective firing of the at least one working chamber in a dynamically calculated firing pattern that causes selected active working cycles to be fired and selected skipped working cycles not to be fired; and the firing pattern is determined on a working cycle by working cycle basis to deliver a desired power output. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification